Purpose and Peace in the Last DaysSample

Four Keys to Pleasing God

This reading plan is all about the second coming of Jesus and what the role of the church – and each individual believer – is as we eagerly await the day of His return.

Since we don’t know when Jesus is coming – only that He is coming back – it’s important that we understand what should characterize our lives as we wait. You can boil down the essence of the Christian life in this way:

A successful Christian life is one that pleases God.

This is the kind of life that reaches the end and hears the Lord say, “Well done, My good and faithful slave.” Regardless of what you do for a living or what accomplishments you can boast of, if you hear the Lord say those words, then you led a successful life.

So, how can you be an individual who pleases God?

Today’s passage provides four encouragements.

Encouragement number one: Make certain that you truly belong to Jesus.

If you want to please God, right off the bat, you have to make certain that you truly belong to Jesus.

Do you know that you belong to Him? Have you given your life to Christ and turned from sin to the Savior?

That’s what other Christians in the early church were saying about the Thessalonians. You can read about it in First Thessalonians chapter one. The whole region knew that they had turned from idols to serve the living God.

That’s salvation. Genuine salvation. Do you have the real thing?

Encouragement number two: Take responsibility to grow in your faith.

The Thessalonian church was growing like crazy.

These young believers were really maturing in their faith. Paul says, “That is what pleased God! We’re so proud of you. Why? Because your faith is increasing.”

So how can you grow in your faith?

First, by reading and obeying the Word of God. Don’t just hear the Word, be a doer of what it says.

Your faith also grows as you believe God. Trust His promises and step out in faith.

And finally, a growing faith is revealed through trials. A faith that can’t be tested can’t be trusted. Therefore, God will allow trials to come into your life to test your faith. Embrace these trials as tests to help you grow, and continue to trust Him as you work through the difficulties.

Encouragement number three: Ask God to love others through you.

The two greatest commandments are to love God—with all your heart, soul, strength, and mind—and love your neighbor as yourself.

One of the hallmarks of the Thessalonian church is how much they loved one another. That’s such a testimony to a lost and dying world—when we really love and care for one another. You see, when you love people both inside and outside the family of God, you strengthen the church and point others to Jesus.

Encouragement number four: Persevere through the worst of suffering.

The Thessalonian church was really going through trials, suffering, and persecution. In fact, the situation was so severe in Thessalonica that Paul was forced to leave town after a relatively short stay (probably only a few months maximum).

Despite the intensity of the persecution, the Thessalonians proved that they were genuine in their Christianity. When the storm raged around them, they trusted the Lord and sunk their roots of faith in deep and grew stronger. They didn’t wither and die.

When the heat is turned up, you find out very quickly who’s a true believer … and who’s a make believer.

Are you suffering? Don’t quit. Hang in there. Persevere and say, “God, I’m going to trust You, no matter what.”

Hear the Lord saying to you, “Stay with it. Stick with it. Trust Me. Keep your eyes fixed on Me.”

2 Questions:

1. The first encouragement is the most important: Make sure you belong to Christ. Are you sure? If not, give your life to Christ today. Turn from your sins and surrender your life to Jesus. Ask the Lord to forgive, cleanse you, and come to live inside of you. He will save anybody who will come to Him in humility, repentance, and faith (see Romans 10:9–10).

2. How are you doing on each of the other three encouragements? Ask the Lord to help you grow in your faith, to help you love others with the love of Christ, and to give you strength to keep going through trials and suffering.